Machine for tufting mattresses



(No Model.) 16 Sheets- Sheet 1.

E. N. STEPHENSON. MAGHINEIOR TUFTING' MATTR'ESSES.

No; 542,289 Patented July 9; 1895.

(No Modem 16 SheetBPSheetZ. -E. N. STEPHENSON. MACHINE FOR TUPTING MATTRESSES. v

No.'642,289. w v Patented July 9, 1895; :F r T .r F Y Ef III villi Ill D1 WW- I H w (No Mbdel.) 1s sheets-Sheet 3.

' E. N. STEPHENSON.

MACHINE FOR TUFTING MATTRESSES.

' Patented July 9, 1895. v ---a album (No Modgl.) 16 Sheets-Sheet 5.

E. N. .STBPHENSGN; Y MACHINE FOR TUPTING MATTRESSES.

No. 542,289. Patented July 9, 1895.-

(No Model.)

16 Sheets-Sheet 7.

I E. N. STEPHENSON. V MACHINE FOR TUFTING MATTRESSES.

Patented July 9, 1895.

(No Mo'dl.) V 16 Sheets-Sheet 8.

' STEPHENSON.

MACHINE FOR TUFTING MATTRBSSES.

' :Patented July 9, 1.

E. NQSTEPHENSON. MAGHINE FOR TUFTING MATTRESSE- No. 542,289.

16 Sheets-Sheet 9.

(No Model.) I

Patented July 9, 1895,

8mm .Zixin x5765 Zen fora.

(NoMoeL) 1 Sheefs-Shet .11. E. N. STEPHENSON.

MACHINE FOR TUPTING'MAITRESSES.

Patented 31113 9, 1895 fay (No Model.) 16 Sheets-Shet 12.

E. N.'STEPHE'NSON. 1 MACHINE FOR TUFTING MATTRESSES. No. 542,289.

I Patented July 9 Q 25- 44 1 4 (No Model.) 16 Sheets-Sheet 13.

E. N. STEPHENSON. MACHINE FOR TUPTING MATTRESSES.

No. 542,289. Patented July 9, 1895.

abtommg 16 Sheets-Sheet 14.- E. N. STEPHENSON MACHINE FOR TUFTING MATTRESSES.

' (No Model.)

I) g a-tented July 9, '1895.

I [No.Model.) f 16 Sheets-Sheet 1(3. E. N. STEPHENSON. MAG HINE FOR TUPTING MATTRESSES.

No; 542,289. Patented Ju ly 9, 1895.

as they are usually termed,may be-=aflixedat suitable intervals to the twoseries of up To ,a-lllwhom-it mag concern;- a Beit'known that I, EDWIN N .STEPHENS 1, a citizen of' theUnited States,.residing -at UNITED STATES PATENT- omen,

EDWIN iv, s'rEPnnnsoN, or. WAO'O, "TEX-A8,.

' MACHINE FOR Turn-Ne?MA'r'rasssss; v

SPECIFICATION. forming part of Letters Patent: No. 5, 12,289, dated July" 9, 1395'. Application filed m 12,1894. Berlal m- 5 7| .iiio mortal-l Vlfaco, int-he county of McLennaniand State I of Texas, -ha ve inventednewand useful [Im provements in Automatic Machines forTufting Mattresses, of which the following is a specification. v

It is the purpose of my invention to provide an automaticmachine for tu'fting mattresses, whereby the tufts or washers are periodically.

I -fed to andaflixed upon the feed-wheels bei-t'we'en which the mattress'is intermittently 'advanced and.compressed; said tufts being placed upon the mattress by the .periodical fractional revolution of the 'feed-wheelsand 2 secured by stitchingthe entire transverse series of tufts; by the automatic action ofa series-of needles, and a lower corresponding series-of knotter-heads and devices'co-operatmg there'with.-

. .It, is a further-purpose of my invention to provide means for automatically controlling the' periodical and simultaneous operation of'thc upper and lowerseries'of feed-wheels .m such manner that each successive action shall be followed by a periodof rest,,du ring which the tuftingand knotting mechanisms sfhall'have opportunity to complete their re- .spective-f-unctions; a i

It is my purpose, also, to-provlde an'd conibine with a machine of the typexspecifieda "the proper point when the knohis completed; It is my purpose, also, toprovide and com novel and simple knotting mechanism for se-. curely' fastening the twine or thread upon, 35,

the lower side of, the mattress and --an, automatic severing device for cutting the threadat 1 blue with 'a machine of the type mentioned novel'and simple means by which the tufts,

or practically so, suitable means being provided wherebythe tufts when placed-upon and pressed against said wheels. shall remain affixed' the-reteimtil by theperi'odical fra'cQ tional' revolution -of said wheels they. are

placed upon and heldfirmly against the opposite surfaces of the mattress, which is com pressed between the-upper and lower series of-feed-wheels while the tufting and knot- I tin g mechanisms perform their proper tunc-y tions. In this particular my invention also.

comprises the provision of novel and simple means for feeding thetufts and afliziing them to the feed-wheels,- in combination with adjustable of. the tufts, or other circumstances, in order to insure the requisite degree of pressure and double series of feed-wheels.

'=b i'ne with the double series of feed-wheels a series of flitting-needles mounted, in'a corresponding series of gates capable of vertitufts, a short period of inaction being allowed between; the first and second movement't'o permit the slight late'raladjust-ment; whereby the tufting twine is caused to straddle or cross thetufts. j

Itis-my furtherpurpose to im of mechanism specified by renderingit auto- 1-. taneous, certain, and secure.

larly pointed out and defined in' the claims, whichform part'of this specification.

my. said invention pertainsto fully undersame,"I will proceed to describe said invention the secure attachment ofthe tufts to the 'ing the practically simultaneous action of both series. a It is my further purpose to provide and comcal movement and means for: moving the en-' tire series twice to stitchan entire row of- The invention consists, to these ends, in thenovel parts and combinationsof parts, here: inafter fully set forth,and then more 'particu- 95 i To enable others skilled inthe' art to which devices "whereby, the feed --stroke' may be varied in length to suit the thickness It is a further purpose of my invention to prove the type I matic throughout, or practically so, by insurs ing the ;application at uniform intervals of successive transverse series of tufts or wash-f ers and by rendering the'attach-ment ofthe several tufts in each series practically samurstand and to make, construct, and use the '0' ii: detail, reference beinghad for this purpose to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mattresstut'ting machine organized in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the ends of the machine shown in Fig. 1 being omitted. Fig. 3 is a verticaisection of Fig. 2 upon the line 3 3. Fig.4 is a detail sideelevation of one of thatch-placing 1 devices, showing the two positions assumed thereby in full lines and in dotted lines. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of the barrel or body of the tuft placing device shownin Fig. 4. ,Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the bar rel or body of the tuft-placing device upon the line 7 7' in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is afrontend elevation of the barrel with a portion of one of its supporting-brackets. Fig.8 is a detail perspective showing the tuft-feeding bar, pusher-head, and part of the interior tube of the t-uftfeeding barrel. Fig. i is a view in front elevation showing one form of tuft or washer used in connection with my machine. Fjg.10 is a detail perspective showing a portion of one of the feed-wheels in the upper series and one of the cushions with its tufit-impaling points and needlc-openings. Fig. 11 is a similar detail perspective showings. portion of one of the feed-wheels in the lower series with one.

of the cushions and its tuft-impaling points and the L-shaped needle-openinginsaid cushion. Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the machine taken from the right-hand end of the machine in Fig. 1. Fig. 13 isa vertical longi tudinal sectidn taken uponthe line 13 13, Fig;

12, the line of sight being indicated by the ar row. Fig. 14 ten sectional elevation upon an enlarged scale, showing in detail one of the needle-gates, the needle, tension device, and needle-operating 'arm with portions of the periphery of an adjacent feed-wheel. Fig. 15 is a transverse section taken" a little above the feed-wheel shaft in Fig. 14, said shaft; being omitted. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the vertical shaft and its connections, by which the mattress is moved laterally between two successive strokes of the. tuftingneedles. Fig. 17 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine taken on the line 17 17in Fig. 12,

the line of sight being shown by the arrow.

Fig. 18 is a detail viewshowing a portion of the periphery of the movement disk by which periodic advance is imparted to the teed:

wheels, and the pawl and part of the pawlca-rryiug arm by which, intermittent move- -ment is given to said disk. Fig. 19 is 9. diagram showing that portion of a mattress upon which a. tuft is placed, a single needle at the end of the first stroke'made by the needlesin the process-of tufting, and part of the mechanism by which the end of the tuftingthread is grasped and held. Fig. 20 is a dia? gram showing the same parts, the needle having risen part way, the end of the thread being in the jaws, and-the hook of the knotterhead having passedinto the thread-l Fig. 21 is a similar diagram showing th e needle nearly attire and of its upward stroke,

the bight of the thread caught over the and of a shaft projecting fl'Olll hllG rotating knotter-head, and the hook of the latter engaging the. loop. Fig. 22 is a diagram showing the needle at the lowest point of its second stroke,,

a diagram showing the needle at the end of" its last. upward stroke, the thread havingbeen cu-t,.the knot formed, and about to cast off the knotter. Fig. 2i is a diagram showing the'last step in the operation of-stitching, which consists-in drawing the knot closely against the tufted the lower surface of the mattress. Figs. 19", 20 ,21, 22, and 23 are diagrams in plan, showing the parts illustrated in Figs. 19, 20, 21, 22, and-23, respectively, in the positions in which they are seen in plan views corresponding with the figures last mentioned. Fig. 25 isa plan view of one of the knotting mechanisms removed from the machine. Fig. 26 is a detail plan view, upon a somewhat larger scale, of the knotterhead and its immediate adjuncts. Fig. 27 is a detail perspective view of the jaw-supporting annulus'removed from the other parts. Fig. 28 is a perspective view of the shell and partof the bracket supporting the hotterhead and its adjuncts. Fig. 29 is a detail view ofi part of one 'of the jaws mounted on the annulus shown in Fig. 27. Fig'L'IlO isa detail view of the other jaw. Fig-3l is a detail view showing a small portion of the shell.

and of the inclosed kuiotter-head,illustrating the operation of the detent-pin lying in a chamber in the circular wall of the shell.

Fig. 32 is a. plan view of one of the knotterhcads'aud part of its stem. Fig. 33 is a side elevation of the knotter'head, the line of sight being in. thedirection of the arrow 1 in Fig.

32. Fig. 34 is a side elevation of the same,

the line of view being the direction .ofthe arrow 2 in Fig. 32. Fig. 35 is a side elevation of the same, looking in the direction of arrow 3 inFig. 32. Fig. 36isa side elevation of the same, looking in the direction of the arrow 4;

Fig. 32. Fig. '37 isa detail view,on an enlarged scale, of the point of the hook. on' the knotter-head. Fig. 38 is a bottom plan view of the knotter-head. Fig. 39 is a bottom or inverted plan view of the lower or third sec-" tion of the knotter-head. Fig. 40 is a bottom plan view of the second or middle section of the same. Fig. 41, is a vertical section taken in the axial line of the stem of the kuotterhead. Fig. 42 is a face view or front elevation of the sector and its cam-racesopemting the devices which clamp, hold, and finally out the twine, the gear-sector on the same shaft for revolving the knotter-hend being shown in dotted lines. Fig, 43sis a front elevation of the,knitting, mechanism and its immediateconnectionapart of the overhanging shield heingre'moved. Fig. 44 is a similar viewshowing the -;satne parts. in the position they occupy when the process of tufting has reached the stagev illustrated .in' diagram in Fig-2 3. Fig. .45 is a: vertical section taken from front to rear ofthe-knottingmechanism and in the axial, line of the stem of the knotter head. Fig. 46 is a liorizontal or transverse 1 section'of the same,takenin a line'j ust above the: bevel gear which revolves the 'knottera head. Fifg.47,is an elevation'takenfrorn. the

' rear of Fig. 43, showingthe devicestor seizing, -drawing, and cutting the twine after the knot is formed. Fig. 48'isa similar view of the sameparts in adiflterent position. 4 Fig.4!) is v 5 a sideelevation-of the parts shown in the upper portion of Fig. 48.. Fig. is a detail'view of part of the devices forperiodically-projecti-ng and withdrawing the central twine-hold-- ing shaft in thestem ofthe'knot'ter-head. -'F-ig.

o 51g-is a face.view of the cam-race by which the tutting-needles are operated." Fig. 52 is alike -view of the cam-race controlling the sector-ion -the'knottingmechanism. Fig. 53 is asimilar view of the-cam-race which controls the clamp- 5 ing,knot-drawing, and twine cutting-devices shown in. Figs. 44,47, and 48. Fig. 54'is alike view -of the cam-race centrolling themechanism'by which the mattress is moved laterally between the first and. second strokes of ,o the tut'ting-needles.v Fig. is a detail view of the lever which controls-the rising and falling stem of theknotter-head.

Thereference-numerall in saiddrawings 5. jries of substantially-similar feed-wheels lying in the same vertical planes with the members of the upper series, the feed-wheels being arranged upontheir shafts at regular intervals. The construction of these feed-wheels willbe' go explained hereinafter.

Upon the ends of the, respective shafts 5 and '6, which project beyond the outer faces of the upper andlower frames 1 and 3 upon oneside of the machine, are mounted spur- 55 gears 8 and 9 of equaldiameter. The journals of" theupper shaft 5 are mounted in boxes 10,;which'are movable in brackets 12, mounted upon the inner faces of the central vertical parts of the frame 3. Mounted upon.

no central vertical extensions 3,which rise above the "upper. auxiliary frame 3, is a transverse bar 13, which is vertically adjustable upon the vertical extensionsby means ofthreaded shafts 14,-journaled in the upper ends-of the saidv'erticalextensions and hanging parallel with the latter,the-threaded portions of said shafts-engaging lugs 15,, whichv project from the".transverse bar 13 near the ends of thelatter.

Upon the'uppcr ends of. thetllreadedshafts' 14 are .mouuted'bevel-gears 16, with which hevel-pinions 17 have: mesh, said pi'n-ionsbeis journaled in any suitable form of bracket .ing carried by a horizontal shaft 18, whichextends from side'to side of the machine "and 19 upon each, of the verticalextensions 3.

Oneend of the shaft 18, projects sufiiciently is revolvedin either direction to raise or lower'the transverse bar13,

Upon the-transversebar 13-are mounted aseries of hangers 21, equal i-nnumber to the to receive a hand-wheel 20, bylwhioh the shaft I feed-wheelsintheupperseries; These hang- I *ers appear in Figs. 3, 12, 14, andl5, and consist each 0t a substandaily-rectangular oblong plate stlflfened by flanges .22 upon its edge provided with abearing, 23,"whieh is bolted ;tothe plate and receives the shaft 5.- The hangers are bolted at their upper ends to the bar 13,an d by operating the threaded shafts 14 theymaybe adjusted vertically, thereby raising or lowering theshaft 5 and the upper series'of feed-wheels carried by said shaft. Thepurpose'ot' this-adjust- .ment .will be fully explained hereinafter.

The hangers '21 form portions of hanging- 'guide-fram es which support theneedle gates, but these will be described in their order.

In orderv to preserve the gear engagement by'which the upper and lower series of feedwheels arev caused to -rotate in unison, with-' out regard to the interval of separation betoo tween the two series,,I journal upon the up per frame 3 aspur-gear 24, which is constantly -i n mesh withthe spu'r-gear-Q upon the lowershaft 6; Upon the axis of this gear is mounted one end of a carrier-plate 25 in such manner thatit may be turned upon, said axis in either direction. Upon the other end of this carrier-plate is journaled an intermediate spu'r-'gear 26,-which meshes with;both the gear 24 and the gear 8, the latter beingupon the end of the upper shaft 5; To the carrier-plate 25 is-attached-the end of an arm 27, curved upon an arc struckfrom the axial center of the gear. 24 and provided with a curved slot/28, which runs upon a set-screw 29,.tapped into the frame. 3.. By loosening this set-screw the upper shaft5 may be raised andlowered as required, the intermediate gear 26 traveling around the gear 24 as far as may be necessary t9 enable it to retain its meshing engagement with the gear 8. When the shaft 5 is adjusted to the .desired point, the set-screw 29 is turned in far enough to lock the curved arm 27 securely in place..-

Provision is also made whereby both shafts 5' and 6 may have at suitable intervals a simultaneous movement oflimited extent in the direction of their length. The means by which this movement is effected are shown in Figs. land 13, andconsist of a verticalrockshaft 30, supported in bracketsiil, projecting, fromvth e inner face of one side of thetrame.-

Upon said rock-shaft 30 are rigidly mounted two parallel arms 32, which lie upon opposite sides of the upper shaft 5, their-ends being pivotally connected to link-plates 33, the other ends of such link-plates being pivotally connected to a ring 34, running in a collar-34, rigidly'mounted on the shaft 5. connection withthe vertical rock-shaft 30 is made for the lower shaft 6, the'parts being similar to those described and designated by.

the same reference-numerals. The vertical rock-shaft 30 is partly turned at the proper time by means of an arm 35, rigidly mounted thereon at or near the lower end, and having a connecting-rod 36 pivotally connected to its end and to the end of 'an arm 37, rigidly mounted upon a shaft 38, Fig. 13, which is journaled in the lower part of the frame 1. A partial rotary movement of this shaft 30 will draw the two shafts 5 and 6 in one direction or the other in the direotionof their length, thereby moving both series of feedwheels in unison.- Upon the same shaft 30 is an arm 39, connected at its audio a forked link 40, which latter is pivotally united to a pair of lugs 41, which are a part of the hori:

zontal support forthe mattresses it lies be tween the upper and lower feed-wheels. This arm 39 gives a lateral movement, in unison with that giventhe feed-wheels, to the mattress support, and this movement is effected periodically for the purpose hereinafter explained. The means, also, by which the shaft 3.8 its-automatically operated to rock the shaft willbe described in their proper order. 7

Revolution is communicated to a large spu rgear 42, carried by a. shaft 43, which extends from side to side of the machine, by a. small gear 44, journaled upon a bracket upon one side of the machine. The shaft of this spurgear 44 is provided with a wormi'gear 46, with which a worm 47fhas mesh, said worm being carried bya shaft 48,'supported in bearings '49. Upon the worm-shaft 48 is a. policy 50, by

which the shaft is driven from any suitable source of power.

pivoted frame is normally tilted upward, there-' by withdrawing the worm 47 from mesh with the worm-gear 46. When the parts are in op erative engagement, the pivoted frame 51 is held in proper position to maintain said en-,

gagenient by means of a lever 56, fulcrnmed upon the end of a horizontal bar 57, which projects from the bracket 53.

This lever has a shoulder 58,- wliich engages the end of. the pivoted frame, and the lower end of said lever, beloiv its fulcrum-59, is provided with an arm 60, which lies at an angle with the leveraud carries a weight 61, by which the engagement Asimilar the notches64.

The bearings 49 of 'the worm-shaft 48 aremounted upon a frame 51, arranged along the of the shoulder as with the end of the pivoted frame 51 is normally maintained. The weight 55 is adjustable upon the arm which sustains it and is clamped at its proper point'of adjustment by-a set-bolt62, which is tapped through the weight and abuts against the arm.

The action of the machine which is derived from the worm-shaft 48 can be instantly arrested by merely swinging the lever 56 for enough to draw its shoulder 58 off the free end the upper and lower series of feed-wheels by.

means of a disk 63, mounted upon the lower shaft 6 and provided upon its periphery with notches 64, separated by equal intervals.

Upon the said shaft 6 is loosely mounted, Fig.

17, a lever 65, which projects beyond the periphery of the disk andis provided with a pawl 66, Fig, 18, which is adapted to engage with The lever is vibrated by a, connecting-rod 67, which-connects its end withthe end of a cam-lever 68, having a fulcrum upon arock-shaft 38, extending from side to side of themachine, The end of the cam-lever projects upon the other side of its fulcrum-support and is provided with a weight 70. (See Fig. 17.) Rigidly mounted upon the lever 68 is a pin 71, upon the end of which is a friction-roll upon a. horizontal axis.

This friction-roll lies against the periphery of a heart-shaped cam 72, placed near the gear 42, Fig. 17, and upon the same shaft 43. The form of 'the cam 72'is such that -it will allow the friction-roll to approach the shaft 43 at each revolution, thereby swinging the lever 65 upward until the pawl 66 engages the adjacent notch 64 inthe periphery of the disk 63. This-rising movement of the pawl-carrying lever 65 is produced by means of the weight -70 acting upon the lever 68 through the connecting-rod 67. After the'pawl has engaged the notch 64, the cam-shoulder 72 acts upon the friction-roll upon the pin 7-l and draws the lever 65 downward. After each rotary movement of the disk 63 it is held immovable by means of a latch 74, which engages with notches 75, formed in the edge of the disk 63 between the notches 64. The latch 74 is pivoted at one end to a. foot-bracket 76, Figs; 3 and 17,.and at orncar the other end it is connected by a forked link 77 with'one end of a latch-operating lever 78, having a fulcrum 79.; At the end of lever 7 8, opposite that to which the link 77 is connected, a spring 80 is attached, by which the latch74 is normally thrown into and held in engagement with the notches 75. Upon the end of said lever 78, to which-' the spring 8 is connected,

.is mounted a friction-roIl8l, its horizontal axis projecting toward thedisk 67", upon the flat face of f whicli is mounted acamrproject1on,83, having a curved. or convex;camsur- 

